Chapter 2

I opened my eyes...again.

I lost count of how many times I lost my consciousness... firstly it was an unpleasant meeting of a Minotaur...than I was pretty much stomped by a giant human spider or whatever it was....

Now I opened my eyes seeing a golden light before my eyes...well at that time I thought it was a golden light however...reality was different.

"I-Is that....?"

I rubbed my eyes in disbelief.

Before my eyes stood a small golden tree which was shining like torch in the dark room...well at some sort it was a torch in a dark room.

Upon realizing where and who am I and standing up to see the surroundings I was pretty much confused.

The dark cave filled with nothing but water,rats and a golden tree.

Going ahead I noticed a huge door and proceeded to open it.

I should say that it was harder than I thought...this door was heavy...heavy enough for an adventurer who got blessing of falna from goddess. Or was it that I was a weakling?

Anyway opening the door(with great struggle) the immense light blinded me.

I saw it....the huge...no gigantic golden tree which was reaching the sky itself.

My eyes widened as if I was a squirrel who found stocks of nuts.

"Beautiful...."

Not only the tree...the whole picture before my eyes was like a Dreamland.

Ever green grass,animals carelessly jumping, eating and enjoying there lifes.

I thought that maybe I really died and am in paradise.

(A/N:He gonna regret those words in future 💀)

Finally when all dazzling light had no effect on me I spotted someone standing on the cliff in front of the door which I opened recently.

"U-Umm...excuse me?"

I asked nervously.

The man before me was wearing a white mask as well as white robe on him.

He looked at me for a moment before smiling widely...even though I didn't knew exactly whether he was smiling or not the way his eyes stretched up must mean that.

"Oh-ho! Tarnished are we?"

"W-wha?"

"Crossed the fog to come to the lands between?"

"U-Umm no..."

"No? How come?"

"M-My name is Bell...B-Bell Cranel and I am a bit lost."

The man looked at me for a brief moment before letting a sigh.

"Yet again a kindred soul that has no knowledge of where he is."

I didn't get a gist of what he was saying actually....

"I just want to get to Orario...you see I was in dungeon before and...."

"Orario?"

Eh? He doesn't know where Orario is?

"Orario is the city of adventurers where the huge tower extends itself all the way up the sky... you don't know it?"

"As I expected...you are tarnished who crossed the fog."

"Wh-What do you mean by that?"

"You see my friend...the place from where you came from isn't here...in fact it's nowhere in here."

His words made me even more confused than I was before.

He noticed it quickly as sighed again.

"Let's just say that you were transported to a different world...it might seem absurd for you now but believe me as everything I say is truly helpful."

Different world!? B-But how...

I was taken aback by his words but it might be pretty much true...I bet that if it was my original world I would have surely heard of such a graceful golden tree.

Digesting all the information I got...I closed my eyes and bowed my head towards the man.

"I see...thank you for troubling yourself and explaining me all of this Mister."

"No need to...and beside I would feel bad if I won't guide you properly."

"Thank you!"

"Hah...well than I would than explain what and how this world functions."

He than started the lesson.

"First of all...you are tarnished...a dead who yet lives...the person who was blessed by grace again. Basically you are similar to undead."

"U-Undead!? Does that mean I'm a monster??"

"Quite the opposite my friend...Long time ago queen Marika was lost....abandoning her duties. Her offsprings,Demigods,saw a chance to claim the shards of Elden Ring and thus the fight between them started...this is when Tarnished from all over the world was resurrected by a greater will and was blessed by grace again."

"..."

I didn't understood to what I was hearing... demigods? War? Does that mean that they are kids of a God!?!?

I never heard of gods having children from humans...this was surprising but than again...it wasn't my original world.

It meant one thing...it obeyed to another kind of rules.

"S-So you are saying that those demigods are children of this goddess Marika?"

"Of course! You are catching things quickly! I love the way you understood me."

"Thank you...but what does the war between demigods should do with tarnished?"

"Well... demigods are probably nearly equal to gods in there powers,tho a bit weaker,and imagine what will happen if the war between strongest beings of this world will burst?"

"...Chaos..."

"Yes... unfortunately the world faced the chaos of no renown and the 'greater will' needed to cease the complete destruction...so that's why grace blessed quite a few of dead people were basically resurrected and there only aim is to save the word."

"B-But...how?"

"Every demigod have there own 'Great Runes' by combining great runes you get 'Elden Ring' and when you get one you can become an Elden Lord... someone who is close to Marika herself!"

Whoah...my head was bursting with questions.

Every sentence made a new question in my head...I was wondering what was Elden Ring...what was Great Rune? And why did tarnished wants to get an Elden Ring...but I knew that I already asked too much questions.

"Also my friend...it seems you are... Maidenless."

"..."

A bow pierced my heart...I knew that I didn't had a girlfriend but...he straightly killed me with this word.

"In this world... without a maiden you are destined to die."

"What does me having a g-girlfriend plays in my survival in here?"

"..."

The man was silent.

"Ha...Hahaha! You seem to misunderstand me,Bell Cranel,maidens are serving two fingers...they are guides who will help you increase your powers using runes you obtain for killing creatures."

"Increase my powers?"

"Yes. They will increase your powers like increasing your strength or intelligence....it depends on whatever you would like to increase."

Wait a moment...is it similar to falna? No...falna increases your stats depending on the things you do...but this is different story in this situation...as to what I can guess I won't get stronger for killing strong monster... instead I will get something called runes and will spend them to increase whichever stats I want.

"I see...thank you mister...umm..."

I looked at him with a look which sure meant 'Can you tell me your name?'

"Call me Varre... I'm always glad to help Tarnished travelers like you."

With a last farewell I left going down the small rock on which Mister Varre was standing.

I didn't knew exactly where to go so I decided to go towards the castle in the front...as to what I heard from Mister Varre I need to travel to stormveil where the... Godrick the Grafted is...I didn't understood him at all but guess that's the only way.

Going straight towards the castle's direction I noticed someone.

He was wearing a golden armor fully equiped and riding a huge horse which was also equipped in golden armor.

He seemed strong and magnificent...I kind of wanted the same armor as he had.

Feeling that this man was an only guide who will help me I got near him.

"Umm excuse me sir...."

I said looking up at him.

"..."

Silence. He said nothing...

"I...just wanted to ask you how to get to stromveil castle."

"..."

Again silence.

"Stormveil castle... someone told me that I can find my qay there so I would like you to—Brgh!?"

The man swung his spear downwards piercing a hole in my body.

"Wh-Wha...!?"

I said falling down with a hole in my body.

My whole body was coated in cold feeling which was familiar to me.... I'm dying.